£880M OWN GOAL ON TAX

SECRET DEALS

- BY ALEX MILLER and JEREMY ARMSTRONG

PREMIER League clubs, stars and agents underpaid £888million of tax in the past 10 years.

They have been ordered to hand over the sum since investigators started probing tax avoidance in the football world in 2015.

Last season alone officials recouped £90m, including £73m from clubs, £15m from players and £2m from agents, according to a Freedom of Information request.

HMRC is currently investigating 277 players, 88 agents and 32 clubs across the Premier and Football leagues.

Financial investigator Stuart Cotton said cases often involved fees paid to players’ agents.

He said: "Payments to agents where the clubs have asked for advice are deductible in the club accounts.

"Payments to agents from players would be in the footballers' own accounts, for example self assessments.

"HMRC may challenge clubs where there are payments to agents."